Gas-engine.



PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

N. CRANE.

GAS ENGINE.

l APPLICATION FILED sEPT.17.19o4.

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PATENTBD JULY 23, 1907.

N. CRANE.

GAS ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SBPT.17.1904.

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- N. CRANE.

'GAS ENGINE.

APPLIOATlON FILED SEPT.17, 1904.

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NEWTON' CRANEOF BOSTCN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, .BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ELLIOT CLEF., OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

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vSpeccatic'm of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed September 17,1904. Serial No. 224.873.V

gines, and has for its object, first: to provide an engine of symmetrical organization in which each im-v pulse or explosion expends itself in oppositedirections rather than in one direction only, to the end that the production of vibration shallbe of a minimum extent;

second: to provide an engine which is mechanicallyl balanced so as to minimize the vibrations produced by the impulses of the explosions, and by the mechanism itself; third: to" provide c'ertainimprovements -in the frame, valve, and gear constructions, all as hereinafter fully described and illustrated upon the drawings.

Referring to said drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine. Figf 2 is a section plan on the line 2 2 of Fig. .l,` with the upper half of the frame removed.` Fig. 3 is an end-view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. l. Fig.y 5 represents a horizontal section through the valve mechanism of the upper cylinders. Fig. 6 is a vertical section onthe line 6 6 of Fig; l.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

The frame is square in general appearance and composed of two divisions l0 andll bolted together on the horizontal median plane. The bearings or journals Afor the several shafts hereinafter mentioned, a re formed where the upper and lower divisions yofthe frame are joined, so that'the removal of one division uncovers all of said bearings.

In this embodiment of the invention, four individual combustion chambers or cylinders'l2, 13, 14 and 15 are shown bolted to the frame. Said cylinders are parallel andy constitute four units or engines of the.four

cycle type, and are so arranged that two are in' the upper division of the 'frame and two in the lower division, and so that each one in the upper division is diametrically opposite to one in the lower half. The cylin- V ders 12, 13, 1,4 and 15 are double-ended, each having two pistons 16, between which the combustion or oxplosion occurs. Consequently, the explosion-cham- -ber 17, of cach cylinder, is midway between the ends thereof, as best illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and G.

18 18 are rock-shafts located on opposite sides of the frame, and journaled as heretofore'stated.

19 19 are rocking beams secured tof the shaftsflB. Each end of eachrocking beam isi-connected by a connesting-rod 20 to a piston 16, so that when the pistons in the lower cylinders are at one extreme of the stroke,

the pistons the upper cylinders are et A the opposite extreme. By reason of this construction, and disposition of parts, the impulse in each cylinder expends its energy in opposite directions from 'the center, thus equalizing or balancing the said impulse; and -the coupling or connecting of the upper and lower pistons as described provides-for each mechanical motion, a

Vcounteracting motion in the opposite direction. The

power thus generated in the cylinders is converted into oscillatory motion of the rock-shafts 18, and subsequently into continuous rotary motion, as will be described.

2l 21 are rotary driving-shafts located close`to and parallel to each other, and journaled,` as heretofore stated, between the upper and lower divisions ofJthe frame. Said shafts are on opposite sides of the median Aline of the frame, between the rock-shafts 18, and are provided with cranks 22 and momentum or fly wheels 23.

Connecting rods 24 connect the cranks 22 to rockarms 25 affixed to the rock-shafts 18 so that the oscillation of the shafts 18 produces rotary motion of the shafts 2l. The purpose of connecting thejock-shafts to individual crank-shafts isto cause'the piston in one end of a cylinder to inove at the same speed as the other piston, since by this construction the variation in the angularity of the rocker-arms and pitmcn is the same for one piston as for the other.

It has been previously stated in connection with the pistons that for every mechanical motion in ono direcl tion is a counteractingmotion in the opposite direction. This is also the'case in respect to the crank-shafts 21, as will be seen. Said crank-shafts are adapted torotatc in opposite directions because of their connection through intermeshing gears 2G 26, as shown in Figs. 2` and 6. In this way the motion of one crank` 22, connecting rod 24, and rock-arm 25 is counterbalancefl by the motion of the otherA crank, .connecting-rod andA rockarm, in the opposite direction. Either one or both of the crankshafts may be used for driving the mechanism for which the engine is employed.

It has been shown where the motive power is generated and how it is concentrated into rotary motion through the several mechanically-balanced Vconnections, sol will now describe morcthoroughly the operation of the combustion-chambers and the valvooperating mechanism.

l The combustion chambers 17, prcviously'referrcd to, are in valve-casings 27, shown here as cast intogrally with'the cylinders 12, 13, 14 and 15. The usual waterspace 28 for cooling the engine tsurrounds each cylinder and valve casing, and in the casing an admissionchamber 29 and an exhaust-chamber 30 are formed. A mechanically-operated valve 31 on a stem 32 is adapted `to permitand prevent the owof gas from. the admission-chamber 29 to the combustion-chamber 17', where the gas isignitd at tl'iright time by an electric sparkplug 33 screwed into the casing 27. A similar mechanically-operated valve 34 on a stem 35 is adapted to control the port connecting the 'combustion-chamber 17 land the exhaust-chamber 30, so that, together with the Valve 3l, it provides for the admission, compression, combustion, and exhaustion of the gas. vThe valves Sl'and 34 are normally held against their seats byV -in couples oi which two couples arein vertical alinenicnt with each other on one side of the frame and operate the admission valves. The other two couples are in vertical alinement with each other on the'opposite side of the frame, and operate the exhaust valves. Of each couple the lovers extend horizontally in oppositedirections from a central point to the valve-stems which they operate, and are pivoted midway between their ends to the top. and bottom plates of the frame. The inner ends oi the levers overlap each other slightly, and are provided with anti-friction rolls 38 through 'which the levers are actuated, as hereinafter described*` The leversv which effect the opening oi' the valves 31 are actuated by cams 39 affixed to aGaIn-shaft 40. Said shaft stands vertically between the cylinders and at one side of lthe'irame, and its ends are journaled in bearings 41 formed on the top and base of the frame.

The levers 37 which effect the opening of the valves 34 are similarly actuated by cams 42 aifixed to a camshaft 43. Said shaft, like the shait 40, stands verticallybetween the cylinders, but at the other end thereof, and its ends are journaled in bearings 44 on` the top and .base of the frame. Each of said shafts is provided'with va spiral gear 45. Said gears 'are secured to their shafts on the horizontal plane of the shafts 18v and 21, and are in intermeshed relation with spiral gears 46 mounted --nupon stud-shafts 47. Said studshaits are.journaled.

4between the halves 10 and l1 of theirame in the same manner as'the shafts 18 and 2l, and carry, in addition lto the spiral gears 46, spur-'gears'48 lwhich mesh with the gears 26, (Figs. 2 andvG.) The pitch oi the spiral gears' is such that two revolutions of the gears 46 impart one revolution to the gears 45,- thus operating the valves '31 and 34 -in correct time for a four-cycle movement.

Although the number of cylinders shown is four, the number is not arbitrary, except that be an even number equally divided and connected. And while the cylinders shown are double-ended and have two pistons each7 .it is evident that single cylinders and pis-l tons similarly arranged and connected might' be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention` In regard tothe crank-shafts it is also evident that al single shaft in the place of the two shown might be em' ployed, sacrificing merely the compensation for variation of speed between the pistons.'

Having thus explained the nature of the said invention, and described a way' of constructing and using,

the same, although without attempting to set forth all oi the forms in which it may be m'ade, or all of the modes of its use,I declare that what I claim isz-- 1. An internal combustion engine 'comprising two parallel crank-shafts abreast of each other, gearing connecting said shafts, a plurality of cylinders on each sident said shafts, saidy cylinders being parallel -to eachotherbut extending across said shafts; oppositely movable pistons in each of said cylinders, and connections between said pistons and said crank-shafts.

2. An internal combustion engine comprising a frame.

two parallel rock-shafts; one on either side of said 'traine two crank-shafts between and parallel to said rock-shafts, gearing connecting'said crank-shafts, connections between said rock-shafts and crankfshafts, a plurality of parallel cylinders on either side of said shafts and extending laterally thereto, oppositely movable pistons in each cylinder, and connections between said pistons and rockfsha tts.

An internal combustion'engine comprising, rtwo rows of parallel cylinders, each'cylinder in one row being dinmetrically opposite one in the other row, oppositely movable pistons in each cylinder, two crank-shafts between said, rows, and connections between said pistons 4and crank-shafts, respectively. 4` 4. An internal combustion engine comprising a frame or casing-divisible on its median line; one or more cranksllafts journaled on said line, one or more cylinders on either' side of said liney controlling valves for said cylinders, and one or more cam-shafts 'extendingacross said median line and driven by said crank-shafts for operating su id vvalves.

.'i. An internal combustion engine comprising two parallel crank-shafts adapted to revolve in opposite directions,

n plurality of parallel cylinders each having pistons mov.- 

